Down with history

Nation’s oldest public housing demolished in Youngstown

Photo by: Jessica Kanalas

Remnants of Youngstown’s 1940-vintage Westlake Terrace Apartments housing project, the country’s oldest public-housing development, were under demolition Tuesday. Former Westlake residents, who have relocated to other Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority properties or to Section 8 housing, will get first priority for housing in the Village at Arlington, which will replace the remainder of Westlake.

Photo by: Jessica Kanalas

The last 20 Westlake Terrace buildings containing 218 apartments are being razed to make way for the $20 million to $22 million Village at Arlington, which will contain 120 low-income rental units in 22 buildings. Construction of the village, which will feature one- to three-bedroom townhouses, will begin early next year and take about 18 months to complete.

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The demolition of the remaining buildings of the 1940-vintage Westlake Terrace Apartments housing project has begun.

The razing is being done under a $1.08 million contract the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority board of directors awarded to Siegel Excavating LLC of Edinburg, Pa., which has 120 days to complete the work.

Demolition was under way Tuesday.

Twenty buildings containing 218 apartments are being leveled under the contract.

Westlake was the nation’s oldest public housing development when it was vacated this year.

Westlake residents relocated in recent months to other YMHA properties or to Section 8 housing, which is federally subsidized rental housing in properties owned by private landlords.

Former Westlake residents will get first priority for housing in the Village at Arlington, which will replace the buildings being demolished.

The $20 million to $22 million Village at Arlington will consist of 120 low-income rental units in 22 buildings featuring one-to three-bedroom townhouses.

Construction of the new buildings will begin early next year and is expected to take about 18 months to complete.

The Village at Arlington will be bounded by Madison Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Griffith Street.